Swiss technology group Bühler is ready to launch its newest optical sorter, the SPARK Pro, promising performance at an affordable price point. SPARK has one goal in mind – simple operation with reliable performance, to bring food safety to small and medium businesses around the world. With challenges, including expensive raw materials and unpredictable weather conditions, SPARK Pro offers much-needed relief to the market.

In the 1940’s, the computer was a mysterious device used by scientists. The operation was complex, and the machines were massive, weighing in excess of 30 tons. Later, the Commodore 64 was released. Simpler, smaller, family-friendly, and affordable. Opening the possibilities of modern computing.

Bühler’s SPARK Pro is another moment of ‘new possibilities’. It is beginner-friendly, simple to operate, and still produces a reliable yield quality. SPARK has taken the simplicity of optical sorting to a new level. 

What is the Bühler SPARK Pro?

SPARK is an optical sorter from Bühler, a leading organization with over 160 years of experience. SPARK works with multiple commodities, including grains, pulses, rice, coffee, spices, and peanuts, to remove unwanted defects from the product, for example, sticks and stones, helping food processors achieve better yield quality, greater food safety, and meet regulation standards. 

Featuring a non-stop sorting algorithm to provide reliable production that won’t shut down and a zero-spillage design so that less product is wasted, the SPARK Pro equips processors with the technology for food safety and business growth.

With the slogan “It simply works” – SPARK is not Bühler Group’s top-end and most digitally connected optical sorter; instead, it works and works well in all environments and against most challenges. Bringing great value with reliable performance, precise yield, and simple usability. SPARK is targeting small to medium businesses, helping bring food safety standards, and supporting environmental initiatives around the world. 

Challenging times require efficient yet affordable solutions

With SPARK, Bühler has acknowledged the challenges facing food processing, expensive raw materials squeezing profit margins, and unpredictable weather conditions increasing the chance of defects in the product. To uphold food safety, reliable optical sorting needs to be accessible to every organization, no matter its size. SPARK does precisely that. 

Leading the SPARK project at Bühler, Bernhard Gabauer says, “SPARK Pro is built for industry purposes. From the camera technology to the saturation value, SPARK processes quickly, easily, and well. Helping food processors cost-effectively create good quality yield.”

The easy operation means organizations of all sizes can access safe food and good yield quality without complicated operator training and reducing the chances of human error. 

Price vs performance

Depending on the application, SPARK Pro shows an impressive 99% - 99.7% accept quality. That means the sorter combines a reasonable price and good performance. 
SPARK features impressive specifications for its price point: 

•    Easy-to-use operation and setup
•    One machine solution for all applications
•    Non-stop sorting algorithm
•    Zero-spillage concept
•    Available in flexible sizing up to 10 chutes.

The affordable price means that small to medium businesses can level up their product quality, helping bring local goods to market, reducing waste and cost-saving on yield loss, and, most importantly, achieving excellent food safety.  

An easier path to growth

SPARK offers small to medium businesses an easier path to quality yield, healthy revenue, and safe food. SPARK will be available in November for South and Central America, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, China, and the Middle East, ready to take Europe by storm in early 2024.